“It’s just God and me,” we can easily tell ourselves, “I lead a good life, I pray, I give to others when I’m able: that’s enough.” Our modern world has turned us all to think that what is important is our mind—or whatever words we want to describe it, ego, self, soul, spirit, etc.—and that’s enough.
If you love Me, keep My commandments.
— John 14:15
And the commandments of Christ say much more about our relationships with our neighbours than just “God and me.”
We know that we have passed from death to Life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.
Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal Life abiding in him.
— First John 3:14–15
And, as so often, we turn to the Lord’s words in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5 to 7)—I strongly encourage you to read it and reread it.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven. (5:16)
Whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. (5:22)
Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,
leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. (5:23–25)
Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
that you may be sons of your Father in Heaven. (5:44–45)
When you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. (6:2–4)
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (6:14–15)
When you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you do not appear to men to be fasting. (6:17–18)
Judge not, that you be not judged. (7:1)
Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. (7:12)
Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven. (7:21)
This is in no way a “God and me” faith, for it is our interaction with our neighbours which prove the content of our hearts and the depth of our faithfulness. This may all be summed up by the famous passage of Scripture,
‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?’
Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself.
On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.’
— Matthew 22:36–40
Yet there is more. To be a Christian is to be in a community which comes together and gives thanks together.
I am the living Bread which came down from Heaven. If anyone eats of this Bread, he will live forever; and the Bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the Life of the world. …
Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no Life in you.
Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal Life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.
He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.
— John 6:51, 53–56
For the Divine Liturgy, the celebration of the Eucharist, is not a sacrifice we offer independently, we offer it together, as one, as the Church. It is the fruit of our love for God, for one another and for our neighbour: having been reconciled to all, we offer this bloodless sacrifice on behalf of the whole world and we receive immortality.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, ours is not a personal set of beliefs nor an esoteric set of doctrines, it is to love all—which means to serve all—that we may step forward and receive Life. Let us not be separated from this Mystery but ever be preparing for it, engage in it, run towards it, that we be transformed and transfigured by the grace of God into true persons shining out with the likeness of God. And then, dear brothers and sisters, having become true Christians, we will participate more fully in the Last Commandment which truly demonstrates to all our love for them by bringing them to eternal Life.
All authority has been given to Me in Heaven and on Earth.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you all the days, even to the end of the age. Amen.
— Matthew 28:18–20
Come and see!
Catechism & Catechumens
There are several members of our community who have expressed an interest in fully joining the Church, either through Baptism or Chrismation depending on circumstances.
I want you to, I think everyone should be a full member of the Church, but I am also keen not to put pressure on anyone. If you want to join you need to ask.
For me there are two key requirements.
- You are a member of our community. You participate in services as well as the rest of the life of the community.
- You understand The Symbol of Faith (also called the Creed) in the way the Church understands it. Alongside this, you will understand about the Orthodox Church, her history and traditions.
To help with 2., on Saturdays, after Vespers I will start to go through the Symbol of Faith. This will only last up until 7.40 pm (Vespers usually ends around 7.10–7.15 pm).
If you are interested in joining the Church (though there’s no commitment) or are already a member but would like to know more about our Faith, you’d be most welcome to join us.
If you’d like to join the Church, but can’t make it on Saturday evenings, then please speak to me and we can make alternative arrangements for you.
[For those who would like to come to Confession on Saturdays while this programme is happening, Confessions can happen from 7.40 pm: apologies for any inconvenience.]
We serve a meal following the Liturgy on Sundays. All are welcome.
Do you, or someone you know, want to join our mailing list and receive our weekly email? Then let me know.
Sermon
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, Amen.
“Where are you, O Adam?” cries the Lord from Heaven. And seeking the creature who bears His Image, God deigns to descend to the Earth to search for him. Not finding him on the Earth, and at the place of his skull, the Lord deigns even to enter the nethermost parts of the Earth, Hades, to be with His beloved. He humbled Himself—humbled to become incarnate, humbled to be misunderstood, humbled to be mocked and ridiculed, humbled to be arrested, humbled to be beaten, humbled to be crucified, humbled to enter Death—all that he may be raised up bringing Adam to new Life.
“When He ascended on high,” says the Apostle, quoting David,
“‘He led captivity captive,
And gave gifts to men.’
Now this, ‘He ascended’—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?
He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.”
— Ephesians 4:8–10; see Psalm 67:19 Lxx
And so,
“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in Heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
— Philippians 2:9–11
And having brought up Adam with Himself, He leaves with us the Word how we may participate with His rising. For if we desire to ascend with Him, we must first descend with Him. He gives, therefore, a parable.
Read this Sermon, Descend to Humility.
Archive of Past Sermons.
Services this week
Friday 14th February
Discussion on the Prophecy of Isaiah, 8 pm
Online only
Saturday 15th February
Great Vespers, 6.30 pm
At 3rd URC Scout Hall, Chandlers Ford
Sunday 16th February
Matins and Divine Liturgy, 9 am
At 3rd URC Scout Hall, Chandlers Ford
Online session is via Google Meet: please get in contact for the details.
Please join us: all are welcome, come and see.
Attending Church
We meet at 3rd URC Scout HQ, Kings Rd, Chandlers Ford SO53 2EY. The Scout hall is behind and to the left of the URC Church. Come and See.
Can I help you?
I am here for you, you need only ask. Is there a way I can support your life of faith? Get in touch.
Can you help the parish?
Yes, absolutely. Offer yourselves to the Lord: pray! Make available to him all your talents and ask him how he would like you to use them — listen for his reply.
Your prayers!
With love in Christ
Fr Alexander
[email protected]